Waikato University has announced a partnership with the Home of Cycling Charitable Trust to develop a range of research and consultancy services around community and high-performance sport.
Spread over five years, the university's $1 million investment will provide access to facilities worth $28.5 million, and enhanced research opportunities.
The universitywill have tertiary naming rights for the National Cycling Centre of Excellence (Avantidrome) complex, and access to high-quality facilities for staff and students.
Avantidrome will be near St Peter's School, near Cambridge, and will comprise a velodrome and associated space for athletes and administrators.
Under the partnership, the university plans to further develop teaching and research in sport science, management and related areas. It will be the preferred institution in the region to deliver professional development and postgraduate opportunities for BikeNZ and High Performance Sport New Zealand.
"Our investment with the Home of Cycling Charitable Trust will enhance the university's position as the key provider in the region in the area of high performance sport and excellence," says Vice-Chancellor Professor Roy Crawford.
"The partnership will give us access to state-of-the-art facilities for our prestigious Sir Edmund Hillary Scholarship programme for all-round high achievers in sport and creative and performing arts. It will also allow associated sporting groups to identify talent among our high-performing sports students."
The Avantidrome is the second high-performance centre to be located in the region, and based on past experience from the university's proximity to the Rowing New Zealand High Performance Centre at Lake Karapiro, the new partnership is expected to attract high performance cyclists to the university - and to the Waikato region.
The University of Waikato already has existing applied research strengths in athlete development and performance, sports coaching and coach development educational programmes. It is anticipated access to high performance facilities at the Avantidrome will enable sport and leisure studies within the Faculty of Education to substantially grow its externally funded research income and enhance its programmes.
"There are significant benefits in this investment for enhancing the Waikato student experience, increasing access to research opportunities, and growing our regional and national sporting links," says Professor Crawford.
Home of Cycling chief executive Geoff Balme says the university will be a key partner in the Avantidrome, which is intended to make a regional, national and international impact.
"Tertiary education has a key role to play in the delivery of community and high-performance sport and so we are excited to welcome the University of Waikato as a partner in a regional asset of national importance," he says.
